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he likes, but I will send back his funeral oration, as I am not
going to be under an obligation to anyone who refuses to take a present
from me."
Next morning the eccentric cardinal returned me my Pandects, and I
immediately returned his funeral oration, with a letter in which I
pronounced it a masterpiece of composition, though I laid barely
glanced over it in reality. My brother told me I was wrong, but I did not
trouble what he said, not caring to guide myself by his rulings.
In the evening my brother and I went to the 'scopatore santissimo', who
was expecting me, and had announced me to his family as a prodigy of
a man. I introduced my brother, and proceeded to a close scrutiny of the
family. I saw an elderly woman, four girls, of whom the eldest was
twenty-four, two small boys, and above all universal ugliness. It was
not inviting for a man of voluptuous tastes, but I was there, and the best
thing was to put a good face on it; so I stayed and enjoyed myself.

Besides the general ugliness, the household presented the picture of
misery, for the 'scopatore santissimo' and his numerous family were
obliged to live on two hundred Roman crowns a year, and as there are
no perquisites attached to the office of apostolic sweeper, he was
compelled to furnish all needs out of this slender sum. In spite of that
Momolo was a most generous man. As soon as he saw me seated he
told me he should have liked to give me a good supper, but there was
only pork chops and a polenta.
"They are very nice," said I; "but will you allow me to send for half a
dozen flasks of Orvieto from my lodging?"
"You are master here."
I wrote a note to Costa, telling him to bring the six flasks directly, with
a cooked ham. He came in half an hour, and the four girls cried when
they saw him, "What a fine fellow!" I saw Costa was delighted with
this reception, and said to Momolo,
"If you like him as well as your girls I will let him stay."
Costa was charmed with such honour being shewn him, and after
thanking me went into the kitchen to help the mother with the polenta.
The large table was covered with a clean cloth, and soon after they
brought in two huge dishes of polenta and an enormous pan full of
chops. We were just going to begin when a knocking on the street door
was heard.
"'Tis Signora Maria and her mother," said one of the boys.
At this announcement I saw the four girls pulling a wry face. "Who
asked them?" said one. "What do they want?" said another. "What
troublesome people they are!" said a third. "They might have stayed at
home," said the fourth. But the good, kindly father said, "My children,
they are hungry, and they shall share what Providence has given us."
I was deeply touched with the worthy man's kindness. I saw that true

Christian charity is more often to be found in the breasts of the poor
than the rich, who are so well provided for that they cannot feel for the
wants of others.
While I was making these wholesome reflections the two hungry ones
came in. One was a young woman of a modest and pleasant aspect, and
the other her mother, who seemed very humble and as if ashamed of
their poverty. The daughter saluted the company with that natural grace
which is a gift of nature, apologizing in some confusion for her
presence, and saying that she would not have taken the liberty to come
if she had known there was company. The worthy Momolo was the
only one who answered her, and he said, kindly, that she had done quite
right to come, and put her a chair between my brother and myself. I
looked at her and thought her a perfect beauty.
Then the eating began and there was no more talking. The polenta was
excellent, the chops delicious, and the ham perfect, and in less than an
hour the board was as bare as if there had been nothing on it; but the
Orvieto kept the company in good spirts. They began to talk of the
lottery which was to be drawn the day after next, and all the girls
mentioned the numbers on which they had risked a few bajocchi.
"If I could be sure of one number," said I, "I would stake something on
it."
Mariuccia told me that if I wanted a number she could give me one. I
laughed at this offer, but in the gravest way she named me the number
27.
"Is the